Vehicle transit on demand

Abstract

A system for managing sharing of electric vehicles includes a network access device configured to: receive available vehicle information for a plurality of available vehicles including an available vehicle location of each of the available vehicles and an available vehicle SOC of each vehicle, and receive a vehicle swap event from a first source including at least one of a current vehicle or a mobile device, the vehicle swap event corresponding to a request for the user of the first vehicle to operate another vehicle. The system further includes a processor coupled to the network access device and configured to: select a selected available vehicle from the available vehicles based on the available vehicle location and the available vehicle SOC in response to the vehicle swap event, and control the network access device to transmit information corresponding to the selected available vehicle to the current vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for managing sharing of electric vehicles, the system comprising:
 a network access device configured to:
 receive available vehicle information for a plurality of available vehicles including an available vehicle location of each of the available vehicles and an available vehicle state of charge (SOC) of each of the available vehicles, and 
 receive a vehicle swap event from a first source including at least one of a current vehicle or a mobile device associated with a user of the first vehicle, the vehicle swap event corresponding to a request for the user of the first vehicle to operate another vehicle; and 
   a processor coupled to the network access device and configured to:
 select a selected available vehicle from the available vehicles based on the available vehicle location and the available vehicle SOC in response to the vehicle swap event, and 
 control the network access device to transmit information corresponding to the selected available vehicle to the current vehicle. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the processor is further configured to:
 select a plurality of potential available vehicles based on the available vehicle location and the available vehicle SOC; 
 transmit information corresponding to the plurality of potential available vehicles to the first source; and 
 receive a selection of the selected available vehicle from the first source. 
 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the vehicle swap event includes information indicating a current destination of the current vehicle, and the processor is further configured to select the selected available vehicle as the one of the available vehicles that results in at least one of less additional miles driven or less additional time for the user of the current vehicle to reach the current destination. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the processor is further configured to select the available vehicle based on at least one of a model of each of the available vehicles, a current SOC of each of the available vehicles, a cost to use each of the available vehicles, or features within each of the available vehicles. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the processor is further configured to:
 determine digital key information corresponding to the selected available vehicle; and 
 transmit the digital key information to the mobile device associated with the user of the current vehicle to allow the mobile device to access the selected available vehicle. 
 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the information corresponding to the selected available vehicle includes an identifier of the selected available vehicle and a location of the selected available vehicle. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a memory configured to store account information including at least one of payment information corresponding to the user of the current vehicle or loyalty points corresponding to the user of the current vehicle, wherein the processor is further configured to collect payment for use of the selected available vehicle using the account information. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the current vehicle is an autonomous vehicle, and the information corresponding to the selected available vehicle includes at least one of a location of the selected available vehicle or navigation instructions from a current location of the current vehicle to the location of the selected available vehicle such that the current vehicle can travel autonomously to the location of the selected available vehicle using the information corresponding to the selected available vehicle. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the selected available vehicle is an autonomous vehicle, and the network access device is further configured to transmit at least one of a current location of the current vehicle or a meeting location to the selected available vehicle such that the selected available vehicle can travel autonomously to the current location or to the meeting location. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the network access device is further configured to transmit a reminder to the first source that reminds the user of the current vehicle to plug in the current vehicle at the available vehicle location of the selected available vehicle to charge the current vehicle. 
     
     
         11 . A system for managing sharing of electric vehicles, the system comprising:
 a main body;   a battery located in or on the main body, having a state of charge (SOC), and configured to store electrical energy usable to propel the main body;   a network access device configured to communicate with a remote server; and   an electronic control unit (ECU) coupled to the battery and the network access device and configured to:
 determine a vehicle swap event corresponding to a request for a user of the main body to access another vehicle, and 
 receive an available vehicle data from the remote server corresponding to an available vehicle for the user to access. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  further comprising an output device configured to output data and a power source configured to propel the main body, wherein the ECU is further configured to at least one of:
 control the output to device to output at least one of a current available vehicle location of the available vehicle or navigation instructions from a current location of the main body to the current available vehicle location; or 
 autonomously control the power source to maneuver to the current available vehicle location. 
 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the available vehicle data includes a plurality of available vehicles, and the ECU is further configured to:
 determine a current route from a current location of the main body to a current destination of the main body; 
 identify at least two available vehicles from the plurality of available vehicles that each have a sufficient SOC to reach the current destination; and 
 select the available vehicle as the one of the at least two available vehicles that results in at least one of less additional miles driven or less additional time from the current location to the current destination. 
 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the available vehicle data includes a plurality of available vehicles, and the ECU is further configured to select the available vehicle from the plurality of available vehicles based on at least one of a model of each of the at least two available vehicles, a current SOC of each of the at least two available vehicles, a cost to use each of the at least two available vehicles, or features within each of the at least two available vehicles. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11  further comprising a digital key port configured to receive a key transmission from the mobile device corresponding to a digital key, wherein:
 the ECU is configured to receive new digital key information from the remote server corresponding to a new user of the main body, and 
 the ECU is configured to allow operation of the main body in response to the digital key port receiving the key transmission corresponding to the new digital key information. 
 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the ECU is further configured to:
 determine a current destination of the main body; and 
 determine the vehicle swap event based on a current SOC of the battery and a predicted SOC drain from the current location of the main body to the current destination of the main body. 
 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the ECU is further configured to determine the vehicle swap event in response to the SOC of the battery reaching or dropping below a predetermined SOC threshold. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the ECU is further configured to transmit updated SOC information to the remote server as the battery is charged, and to receive new user information corresponding to a new user of the main body from the remote server. 
     
     
         19 . A method for managing sharing of electric vehicles, the method comprising:
 receiving, by a network access device, available vehicle information for a plurality of available vehicles and an available vehicle SOC of each of the available vehicles;   receiving, by the network access device, a vehicle swap event from a first source including at least one of a current vehicle or a mobile device associated with a user of the first vehicle, the vehicle swap event corresponding to a request for the user of the first vehicle to operate another vehicle;   selecting, by a processor, a selected available vehicle from the available vehicles based on the available vehicle location and the available vehicle SOC in response to the vehicle swap event; and   controlling, by the processor, the network access device to transmit information corresponding to the selected available vehicle to the current vehicle.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the vehicle swap event includes information indicating a current destination of the current vehicle, and selecting the selected available vehicle is performed by selecting the selected available vehicle as the one of the available vehicles that results in at least one of less additional miles driven or less additional time for the user of the current vehicle to reach the current destination.